New Political Parties

Oliver Heald: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what advice the Government have given the Electoral Commission on (a) the registration of political parties' names and (b) preventing malicious or confusing registration of party names by new political parties.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that is has not received any advice from Government on (a) the registration of political parties' names or (b) preventing malicious or confusing registration of party names by new political parties.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Hilary Benn: The cost to DFID for the use of external consultants in the last two years was as follows:
	2002–03: £221 million
	2003–04: £213 million.
	These figures differ slightly from the amounts recently published in Statistics on International Development and used in previous replies to parliamentary questions.
	DFID officials have reviewed expenditure entered on to the DFID database and identified payments, including grants to NGOs and international organisations, which had been wrongly classified as Personnel activities. This expenditure has now been recoded.
	The following table shows the changes made to the expenditure data for consultancies for the past five years. These amendments will be made to the copy of Statistics on International Development available on the DFID website.
	Spending on external consultants alone as a proportion of the total aid budget has fallen since 1997 from 10 per cent. to 5 per cent.
	
		DFID Programme: Bilateral Technical Co-operation £000
		
			  Personnel 
			  Consultancies Previous figures published in Table 12 of SID 
		
		
			 1999–2000 193,342 196,832 
			 2000–01 196,251 198,861 
			 2001–02 205,054 192,724 
			 2002–03 221,320 216,370 
			 2003–04 212,733 204,773

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes have been promulgated in each of the past five years to the guidelines or other criteria for the retention or destruction of departmental files.

Hilary Benn: Since 1999, the Department for International Development has produced 73 schedules for the disposal of records which are specific to its administrative activities. It also disposes of its records in accordance with over 20 guidance notes produced by The National Archives (TNA) over the last five years, covering disposal schedules, managing records in the electronic environment, as well as overarching records management guidance. Further details of this guidance can be found on TNA's website at: http://www. nationalarchives.gov.uk/recordsmanagement/advice/

Iraq

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what provision has been made for (a) housing, (b) feeding and (c) schooling for women and children who have left their homes in Fallujah as a result of coalition forces' action; and what arrangements will be made for these refugees to return to their homes.

Hilary Benn: The Iraqi Interim Government (IIG) is leading the humanitarian response to the situation in and around Fallujah. The IIG has established a Fallujah co-ordination team, to address the immediate needs of the displaced Fallujah population, and to plan for their safe return to the city. DFID is providing advice to the IIG Fallujah team on humanitarian, health, and coordination issues.
	The IIG, and DFID advisers working with the Iraqi Government, report that most of the displaced population are staying with host families or in public buildings. The IIG and some humanitarian agencies are supplying food, water, and medical supplies to these people, and shelter also to those who are not under hard cover. Iraqi Government Ministries have delivered mattresses, blankets, tents, and heaters to displaced families.
	The IIG is working with multi-national forces to ensure that Fallujah is safe from unexploded ordnance and insurgent activity, before the displaced population returns. The Iraqi Government has made provision for the rebuilding of family homes, and is also putting essential supplies in place for the returning families. The IIG is planning for the return of Fallujah's displaced people, which will be organised district-by-district, beginning at the end of December. The IIG, and United States agencies, are currently working on restoring essential services to the city of Fallujah, and have plans in place for long-term reconstruction work, including work on schools.

Ministerial Meetings

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list his official engagements over the last six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information.

Hilary Benn: Ministers meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business, and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on the record briefing by the Prime Ministers Official Spokesman regularly provides details of Minister's public engagements.

Bee Disease

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many bee disease inspectors there were in each year since 1997; and how many she expects there to be in 2005–06.

Alun Michael: The number of bee inspectors employed by the National Bee Unit in England and Wales in each year since 1997 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  National bee inspector Regional bee inspectors Seasonal bee inspectors 
		
		
			 1997 — 10 35 
			 1998 — 10 34 
			 1999 — 8 38 
			 2000 — 8 39 
			 2001 — 8 39 
			 2002 — 8 38 
			 2003 1 8 39 
			 2004 1 8 36 
		
	
	In 2005–06, the National Bee Unit expects to employ the same number of bee inspectors as in 2004–05.

Document Shredding

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the criteria used to decide which documents and files should be shredded; and what mechanism exists to ensure that documents and files are not destroyed for other reasons.

Alun Michael: Defra keeps records for as long as they are needed for administrative and business purposes. Records of enduring historical value are selected for permanent preservation under the guidance and supervision of the National Archives "on the basis of guidelines which are published on the National Archives website at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records management/advice/".

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether departmental special advisers have written to external (a) bodies and (b) individuals in their official capacity since May 1997.

Alun Michael: I refer to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 14 December, Official Report, column 1004W.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes have been promulgated in each of the past five years to the guidelines or other criteria for the retention or destruction of departmental files.

Don Touhig: Since 1999, the Department has produced no schedules for the disposal of records, which are specific to its administrative activities. It also disposes of its records in accordance with over 20 guidance notes produced by The National Archives (TNA) over the last five years, covering disposal schedules, managing records in the electronic environment, as well as overarching records management guidance. Further details of this guidance can be found on TNA's website at: http://www. nationalarchives.gov.uk/recordsmanagement/advice.

Departmental Staff

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many of the staff employed by his Department have a declared disability;
	(2)  how many women there are in senior positions in his Department.

Tony Blair: The Cabinet Office collects and publishes annually statistical information on the Civil Service by Department. These include data on the number of women in senior positions in Departments and on the number of staff who have a declared disability.
	The latest available information at April 2004 is available in the Library and on the Civil Service website and the following addresses.
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management information/statistical information/statistics/publications/xls/gender apr04 4nov04.xls
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management information/statistical information/statistics/publications/xls/disability apr04 4nov04.xls

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department in each of the last two years.

Charlotte Atkins: There were no new builds, demolition re-builds and PFI projects in DfT Central in 2002–03 and 2003–04 but the costs for the Department's agencies are shown in the table:
	
		
			   £ million 
			  2002–03 2003–04 
			 DfT Unit New Build Demo Rebuild PFI Projects (m) New Build Demo Rebuild PFI Projects 
		
		
			 Driving Standards Agency 0 1.237 0 0 0 0 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority 0 0 0 5.667 0 0.570 
			 Highways Agency 0.900 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Maritime Coastguards Agency 0.135 0.406 0 0.331 0.007 0 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 4.121 0.500 0 0.174 0 0 
			 Total 5.156 2.143 0 6.172 0.007 0.570

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years.

Charlotte Atkins: The cost of building refurbishment in the DfT over each of the last two years are shown in the table:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 DfT Unit Refurbishment cost 2002–03 Refurbishment costs 2003–04 
		
		
			 DfT Headquarters 0.298 1.303 
			 Air Accidents Investigation Branch 0 0.071 
			 Driving Standards Agency 0.264 0.217 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (4)4.118 (4)4.665 
			 Highways Agency 1.837 0.812 
			 Marine Accident Investigation Branch 0.137 0 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 4.930 2.621 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 0.212 0.063 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 0 0 
			 Total 11.796 9.751 
		
	
	(4) For these two years DVLA's main office refurbishment costs were not separately recorded as they were included in general maintenance costs. To provide some idea of refurbishment costs in these two years the estimated maintenance costs per annum are approximately £1.2 million.

M6 Toll Road

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that emergency vehicles with activated blue light beacons are not hindered at toll booths when exiting the M6 toll road; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the conditions of use of the M6 toll road by official emergency vehicles.

David Jamieson: Under the statutory Order governing tolling at the M6 toll road (The Birmingham Northern Relief Road Toll Order 1998 (SI 1998/124)), police vehicles, fire engines and ambulances are exempt from toll charges.
	The M6 toll road concessionaire, Midland Expressway Limited (MEL), has primary responsibility for the operation of the M6 toll road during the lifetime of the concession agreement. Therefore, it is for MEL to ensure that adequate procedures are in place so that emergency vehicles are not unduly hindered when using the toll road.
	As regards the Government's policy towards the charging of emergency vehicles for using other toll roads, this generally depends on the legislation governing the tolled undertaking. However, in the consultation paper "Breaking the logjam", published in March 1999, about giving local authorities powers to bring in road user charging schemes, the Government stated that it ". . . does not consider it to be appropriate to charge vehicles used by the emergency services . . .".

Railway Stations (Crime)

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many crimes against a person have been committed at (a) rail stations that meet secure station status and (b) all other stations in each year since 1997, broken down by gender of the victims and incident type.

Tony McNulty: The Secure Station Scheme was launched in 1998 with the aim of improving security and the perception of security at railway stations. The Scheme is optional, and once a station is accredited, the accreditation lasts for two years. Currently there are 168 stations accredited to the scheme.
	In order to provide a detailed response to the question posed, the British Transport Police (BTP) have informed me that disproportionate levels of resources would need to be applied to conducting the research and analysis of the data. This would incur significant financial and opportunity costs. I am therefore unable to provide a full answer to the question.
	However, BTP have provided a Force level breakdown, by gender, of crimes against the person for 1998–99 onwards.
	
		Force wide
		
			  Assaults Sexual offences Robbery Theft 
			  Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,553 347 97 1,095 1,571 237 1,659 4,645 
			 1999–2000 1,552 362 94 998 1,768 275 2,965 8,545 
			 2000–01 3,583 1,150 89 1,064 2,164 314 2,940 5,262 
			 2001–02 3,918 1,206 93 997 2,817 476 3,923 3,961 
			 2002–03 4,800 1,294 84 862 2,188 370 7,519 8,416 
			 2003–04 5,539 1,885 103 1,068 1,805 382 6,086 6,267 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Due to the changes in Home Office counting rules in recording crime, introduced in April 1998, data prior to that date is non-comparable.
	2. BTP adopted the National Crime Recording Standards in April 2002 and this has contributed to the increase in recorded crime figures.

Transport Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the outcome was of the Transport Council held on 9 to 10 December; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: A transport session of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council met in Brussels on 9 and 10 December. I represented the UK, together with Nicol Stephen of the Scottish Executive.
	Following a debate on liability and compensation for damage from oil pollution at sea, the Presidency drew Conclusions. These incorporated wording which I had proposed, stressing the need to ensure that effective financial responsibility is exercised on the part of those involved in transportation of oil by sea, and the need for appropriate revision of the relevant provisions of the 1992 Civil Liability Convention (CLC) and the 1992 International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF). The UK wording was supported in the Council by several other member states.
	The Commission presented a revised proposal for a Directive on market access to port services. I joined a number of other Ministers in expressing strong reservations about this proposal, which replaces the one rejected by the European Parliament following Conciliation. I pointed out that, while the UK welcomes liberalisation and market opening, some aspects of this new proposal would not help the port sector's development. It is far less satisfactory than the Conciliation text in a number of key areas. The proposal will have a major impact on the ports and shipping sectors, and there is a compelling case for further consultation with stakeholders and an extended impact assessment. These issues will be pursued in the detailed negotiation by the Council Working Group, which will now begin.
	The Council reached Political Agreement on a Regulation introducing uniform application of the International Safety Management Code in EU member states, and reached a General Approach on a Directive on recognition of seafarers' certificates. Both are acceptable to the UK. The latter corrects an imbalance between EU member states' recognition of certificates issued by other member states and the procedure required under the Convention of the International Maritime Organization.
	The Council reached a General Approach on a draft Directive on train driver licensing. The agreed compromise text allows individual member states to seek a 10- year derogation (which can be extended) from the licensing system for drivers working only on domestic routes in that State, should a cost benefit analysis show that its application to such drivers would not be worthwhile. This compromise reflects concerns, which I and others had expressed, regarding its application to those drivers—98 per cent. of the UK total. With those concerns met, I was able to accept the proposal.
	The Council agreed Conclusions formalising the outcome of the Ministerial Conference on road safety held in Verona in October. The Conclusions, which are acceptable to the UK, stressed the need for cooperation and exchange of best practice between member states. The Commission informed the Council that it would review progress on the EU road safety action plan in 2005.
	The Council reached a partial Political Agreement (Articles only) on a proposal for a Directive amending technical standards for inland waterway vessels, including passenger vessels. The agreed text is acceptable to the UK. When the Annexes have been agreed the Council can reach a Common Position on the proposal.
	The Council agreed Conclusions on the movement to the deployment and operational phases of the Galileo satellite navigation programme. The Conclusions confirm the services to be developed within the programme. They also confirm: that Galileo should be a civil system under civil control; and that final agreement on the deployment and operational phases should be subject to a risk allocation, including final costs, which is acceptable to the public sector. The UK, supported by Austria, entered a minutes statement, stressing the importance for Council of giving its considered opinion on the results of the negotiations, in particular on the balance of risk allocation between public and private sectors, before the final contract is signed (probably in late 2005). In the expectation that Council's views would be taken into account, the UK was able to accept the Conclusions.
	There was an oral progress report on a draft Regulation establishing a legal basis for the financing of the Galileo programme during the deployment and commercial operating phases.
	The Council reached a General Approach on a draft Directive which transposes Eurocontrol's common licence for air traffic controllers into Community law. The text was acceptable to the UK.
	The Council reached a partial Political Agreement (the Articles and Subparts O and Q of the Annexes) on a draft Regulation on harmonising technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation (EU OPS). Subpart O covers cabin crew training requirements and Subpart Q covers Flight Time Limitation rules. The agreed texts were acceptable to the UK. A Common Position can be adopted after agreement on the remaining Annexes.
	Subject to a minutes statement that member states can improve their existing bilateral air service agreements, the Council agreed mandates for the Commission to open air transport negotiations with certain Western Balkan countries and with Morocco. These mandates are acceptable to the UK.
	No votes were taken at this Council.

Child Care

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many day care places by each type of provider there were in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in each year from 1996 to 2001; and how many registered child care places by each type of provider there were in (a) April 2003, (b) April 2004 and (c) October 2004.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The information is not available in the form requested. The available information on child care places and nursery education places is shown in the tables. The available information on child care places, for Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area, is shown in Tables 1 and 2.
	
		Table 1: Number1,2 of registered child care places for children under eight years of age by type of care— Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area Position at 31 March each year 2003 and 2004
		
			 Type of care 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Full day care 1,400 1,800 
			 Sessional day care 1,300 1,200 
			 Childminders 1,600 1,700 
			 Out of school day care 1,700 1,900 
			 Creche day care 700 700 
		
	
	(5) Rounded to the nearest 100 places.
	(6) Data Source: Ofsted
	
		Table 2 Number(7) , (8) of day care places for children under eight years of age by type of provider—Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area Position at 31 March each year 1997–2001
		
			 Type of provider 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Day nurseries 1,100 1,100 1,100 1,200 1,200 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 1,300 1,300 1,300 1,300 1,300 
			 Childminders 1,800 n/a 1,400 1,400 1,400 
			 Out of school clubs 700 600 1,100 1,800 900 
			 Holiday schemes(9) 1,100 1,200 1,200 5,100 (10) 3,600 
		
	
	(7) Rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 places.
	(8) Data Source: Children's Day Care Facilities Survey.
	(9) From 1999, places were counted once for each school holiday. Before 1999, places were counted once each year.
	(10) Includes schemes that were exempt from registration.
	n/a—not available
	The figures for child care places for 2003 and 2004 are not directly comparable with the day care figures for 1997–2001. The figures for 2003 and 2004 were derived from the Ofsted database of registered child care providers. The figures for 1997–2001 were derived from the Children's Day Care Facilities Survey, which was discontinued in 2001. There are no figures for 2002.
	With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection of child care providers from Local Authority Social Service Departments to Ofsted in September 2001, child care places were classified according to the type of day care provided: full day care, sessional day care, childminder, out of school day care or crèche day care. Ofsted have produced figures based on this classification on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published on 21 October 2004 in their report "Registered Childcare Providers and Places, 30 September 2004", which is available on their website, www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications.
	Up until March 2001, child care providers were classified according to the type of provider: day nurseries, playgroups and pre-schools, childminders, out of school clubs and holiday schemes. Figures based on this classification were published in a series of Statistical Bulletins, which are available from the Department's website, www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.
	The available information on nursery education places, for Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area, is shown in Table 3.
	
		Table 3: Number(11) , (12) of free nursery education places taken up by three and four year olds Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area—Maintained schools and private, voluntary and independent providers of early years education Position in January each year
		
			 1997–2004 Number 
		
		
			 1997 5,000 
			 1998 5,000 
			 1999 4,900 
			 2000 5,500 
			 2001 5,600 
			 2002 5,600 
			 2003 5,300 
			 2004 5,200 
		
	
	(11) Rounded to the nearest 100 places.
	(12) Data Source: Annual Schools Census, Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise and Early Years Census.
	All four year olds in England have been entitled to a free part-time early education place since September 1998. All three year olds in England have been entitled to a free part-time early education place since April 2004. The latest figures on early education places for three and four year olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 39/2004 "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2004 (final)", which is available on the Departments website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.

Education (Lewisham)

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many childcare places have been provided in the Lewisham, Deptford constituency since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not available in the form requested. The available information on childcare places and nursery education places is shown in the tables.
	The available information on childcare places, for Lewisham local authority area, is shown in tables 1 and 2.
	
		Table 1: Number(13) , (14) of registered childcare places for children under eight years of age by type of care. Lewisham localauthority area Position at 31 March each year 2003 and 2004
		
			 Type of care 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Full day care 2,200 2,500 
			 Sessional day care 800 700 
			 Childminders 1,200 1,600 
			 Out of school day care 1,300 1,600 
			 Crèche day care 200 200 
		
	
	(13) Rounded to the nearest 100 places.
	(14) Data Source: Ofsted
	
		Table 2: Number(15) , (16) of day care places for children under eight years of age by type of provider. Lewisham local authority area Position at 31 March each year 1997–2001
		
			 Type of provider 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Day nurseries 1,440 (17)— 1,600 1,700 2,100 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 880 (17)— 960 1,000 910 
			 Childminders 1,400 (17)— 1,200 1,200 1,200 
			 Out of school clubs 950 (17)— 940 930 1,700 
			 Holiday schemes(18) 960 (17)— 1,100 (19)1,000 1,700 
		
	
	(15) Rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 places.
	2 Data Source: Children's Day Care Facilities Survey.
	(16) Not available.
	4 From 1999, places were counted once for each school holiday. Before 1999, places were counted once each year.
	5 Includes schemes that were exempt from registration.
	The figures for childcare places for 2003 and 2004 are not directly comparable with the day care figures for 1997/2001. The figures for 2003 and 2004 were derived from the Ofsted database of registered childcare providers. The figures for 1997/2001 were derived from the Children's Day Care Facilities Survey, which was discontinued in 2001. There are no figures for 2002.
	With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection of childcare providers from local authority social service departments to Ofsted in September 2001, childcare places were classified according to the type of day care provided: full day care, sessional day care, childminder, out of school day care or crèche day care. Ofsted have produced figures based on this classification on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published on 21 October 2004 in their report "Registered Childcare Providers and Places, 30 September 2004", which is available on their website, www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications.
	Up until March 2001, childcare providers were classified according to the type of provider: day nurseries, playgroups and pre-schools, childminders, out of school clubs and holiday schemes. Figures based on this classification were published in a series of Statistical Bulletins, which are available from the Department's website, www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.
	The available information on nursery education places, for Lewisham local education authority area, is shown in table 3.
	
		Table 3: Number(17) , (18) of free nursery education places taken up by three and four year olds, Lewisham local education authority areaMaintained schools and private, voluntary and independent providers of early years education  -- Position in January each year 1997
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 4,300 
			 1998 4,400 
			 1999 4,900 
			 2000 5,800 
			 2001 5,900 
			 2002 6,000 
			 2003 5,900 
			 2004 5,700 
		
	
	(17) Rounded to the nearest 100 places.
	(18) Data Source: Annual Schools Census, Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise and Early Years Census.
	All four year olds in England have been entitled to a free part-time early education place since September 1998. All three year olds in England have been entitled to a free part-time early education place since April 2004. The latest figures on early education places for three and four year olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 39/2004 "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2004 (final)", which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.

Sefton Education Authority

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Government has given Sefton education authority dispensation to remove the small schools funding formula.

Stephen Twigg: The inclusion in an LEA's funding formula of a factor relating to small schools is a matter for local discretion.
	I have, however, given dispensation for Sefton LEA to remove their small schools funding factor from the calculation of the minimum funding guarantee in respect of 15 schools. This dispensation was granted because the LEA demonstrated that by including it in the MFG calculation the 15 schools identified would have received an unfair budget share in 2005–06.

Military Clothing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the garment which the Minister of State indicated on 8 December, Official Report, column 156WH, had been tested by four separate test houses was a camouflage garment printed and manufactured in China.

Adam Ingram: holding reply 16 December 2004
	The garment tests I referred to relate to the testing of fabric samples that were printed and manufactured in China.

Military Clothing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, during his Department's assessment visit to factory 3533 in China, officials saw British army camouflage fabric being (a) processed and (b) manufactured.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 16 December 2004
	Ministry of Defence personnel visited China as part of the agreed contract management plan. Under the terms of the contract, the prime contractor does not wish to publicly disclose sub-contractor information and I therefore cannot reveal the detailed information requested.

RAF Buchan

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans will respond to the letter of 16 November 2004 from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan regarding RAF Buchan redundancy payments.

Ivor Caplin: I wrote to the hon. Member on 6 December 2004, within our 15 working day target for answering ministerial correspondence.

Departmental Websites

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department's .gov.uk. websites comply with the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines adopted by the Government in 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 1 December, Official Report, column 134W.

Energy Supply

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the implications for the UK of the EU Directive on the Security of Energy Supply.

Mr. O'Brien: A Directive on Security of Gas Supply (2004/67/EC) was adopted in April this year. This establishes minimum security of supply standards and coordination of Member States' responses to threats to gas supplies and clarifies roles and responsibilities of market players.
	There is also a proposal for a Directive on Electricity Security of Supply which, following agreement of a general approach by the November Energy Council, is now awaiting its first reading in the European Parliament. This requires Member States to take a range of measures to safeguard electricity supplies including setting minimum rules for network security and quality of supply standards, and establishing a market framework which provides a stable investment climate and investment signals.
	We believe our existing arrangements largely meet the requirements of these Directives.

Fuel Poverty

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of pensioners in Burton who are living in households suffering from fuel poverty; and how this number has changed since 1997;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of people claiming a disability benefit who are living in households suffering from fuel poverty in Burton; and how this number has changed since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: We are unable to provide a breakdown of the number of households in fuel poverty by individual areas or towns.
	For the most recently available survey figures, I would refer the hon. Member to the response which I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce) on 30 November 2004, Official Report, column 78W. This sets out how the Fuel Poverty figures for England are produced, and gives figures for each Government Office Region.
	That data also shows that the number of fuel poor households in England which include someone aged 60 or over has more than halved from 2.2 million in 1996 to 1 million in 2001. In 2001, it can be estimated that the number of households containing either someone with a disability or long term illness was 0.8 million, the same as for 1996. Data for the number of those households in receipt of disability benefit is not readily available.
	Due to the fact that 2002 figures are based on a modelled estimate, 2001 is the latest year for which it is possible to give these breakdowns.
	Data for 2003 will be published in 2005 in the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy Third Annual Progress Report.

Gangmasters

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons the proposals by the Home Secretary relating to the regulation of gangmasters prior to the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy were deemed not to be workable.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The question of how best continually to improve enforcement against those, such as gangmasters, that mistreat workers and act illegally has been and continues to be much discussed. During inter-departmental discussions on this issue in 2003 a number of different approaches from various departments were considered, rejected, modified and adopted. Such debate is a normal part of the process of government and is how departments reach a consensus on the best way forward. In this case the consensus settled on taking a range of actions, including Government support for a private member's bill, now the Gangmasters Act 2004.

"Representative Claims: Proposed New Procedures"

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the outcome was of the consultation on "Representative Claims: Proposed New Procedures".

David Lammy: The post consultation report on 'Representative Claims: Proposed New Procedures' was published in April 2002. It showed overall support for the principles of representative claim. However, following a detailed analysis of the replies, it was concluded, that a generic provision would not meet the needs of the diverse areas where representative claims might be pursued.
	Consequently, the Department for Constitutional Affairs has been working with other Government Departments and stakeholders on a more targeted approach. Specific provision can be made where this is required by EU legislation or where it would otherwise be beneficial to allow representative organisations and third parties to act and there is evidence to support the introduction of such a provision.

Legal Aid (Civil Cases)

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on non-family legal aided civil cases in each of the last 20 years; how many cases involved (a) legal representation and (b) other legal advice and assistance in each year; and what the average costs of (a) and (b) were in each year.

David Lammy: It is not possible to answer in precisely the way the question has been put because the Legal Services Commission does not hold information on the basis of cases but on the number and value of bills paid.
	The following table presents the information requested on the basis of bills.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Total civil non-family Representation Advice and Assistance(23) 
			  Expenditure Bill volume Average cost Bill volume Average cost 
		
		
			 2003–04 609 47,144 7,017 540,175 515 
			 2002–03 674 62,880 6,414 566,321 478 
			 2001–02 768 84,044 5,974 546,684 414 
			 2000–01 669 108,013 4,876 518,910 275 
			 1999–2000 671 115,714 4,570 804,101 176 
			 1998–99 703 132,648 4,392 766,091 157 
			 1997–98 692 155,737 3,764 800,591 132 
			 1996–97 663 176,139 3,246 755,596 120 
			 1995–96 596 182,192 2,805 737,782 115 
			 1994–95 514 169,294 2,589 752,130 100 
			 1993–94 455 167,115 2,267 794,602 96 
			 1992–93 369 148,621 2,076 675,507 89 
			 1991–92 276 129,529 1,780 544,964 83 
			 1990–91 196 103,893 1,596 418,086 73 
			 1989–90 163 96,894 1,425 396,068 62 
			 1988–89 133 91,138 1,242 377,868 54 
			 1978–88 110 83,620 1,060 411,242 51 
			 1986–87 92 76,971 970 358,473 48 
			 1985–86 82 73,001 904 341,312 46 
			 1984–85 71 75,718 776 290,378 43 
		
	
	(23) Advice and assistance includes all other non-family civil legal help outside of certificated representation

Prenuptial Agreement

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether he plans to make prenuptial agreements legally binding except where upholding an agreement would cause significant injustice.

David Lammy: At present, couples are free to enter into pre-nuptial agreements, and abide by their terms on divorce, if they wish to do so. The courts can consider the terms of such agreements when exercising their discretion regarding the division of property on divorce. The Government believes that there would be difficulties in tying people into agreements made years before a divorce. The Government also believes that binding agreements would carry a significant risk of unfairness to either party in the event of a change in financial or other circumstances during the course of the marriage. The Government, therefore, have no plans to legislate to make pre-nuptial agreements legally binding.

Sickness Absence

George Osborne: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many day's sickness leave were taken by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997; and what the sickness absence rate was in each year.

David Lammy: The numbers of days lost to sickness absence are collected by the Department. The figures are contained in the annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" published by the Cabinet Office. Table A of the report gives details of both the average working days absence per staff year and the number of staff years on which that calculation is based on. The most recent of which (for calendar year 2003) was announced by Written Ministerial Statement on 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 1WS and copies placed in the Libraries of the House. Reports for 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 are available on the Cabinet Office website at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management information/conditions of service/caje/publications/index.asp_sickness
	The Department is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and in putting in place recommendations of the recently published 'Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector'.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether departmental special advisers have made appearances before parliamentary select committees in their official capacity since May 1997.

Christopher Leslie: No departmental special advisers have appeared before parliamentary select committees since 1997.

EU-China Arms Embargo

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the likely implications of ending the EU-China Arms embargo on (a) the UK defence industry and (b) trade with the United States.

Denis MacShane: If the EU Arms Embargo on China were lifted export licence applications would continue to be assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, used for all applications. In particular an export licence would not be issued if there was a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression or external aggression.
	The Government supported the decision of the European Council in December 2003 to review the EU Arms Embargo on China. The Government is taking all relevant factors into account in the ongoing review—it does not wish to exclude any options for, nor to pre-empt the conclusion of the review.

People's Republic of China

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards the maintenance of the EU arms embargo against the People's Republic of China; and what representations he has received from (a) the People's Republic of China, (b) businesses, (c) Chinese organisations campaigning for democracy in China and (d) other EU countries and institutions, on this issue.

Denis MacShane: The Government supports the decision of the European Council in December 2003 to review the EU Arms Embargo on China. This review is on-going—it was last discussed by EU Foreign Ministers at the 13 December General Affairs and External Relations Council. The Government do not wish to exclude any options for the review, nor to pre-empt the conclusion of the review.
	In recent contacts with representatives of Her Majesty's Government, Chinese Ministers have expressed an interest in the review of the embargo. The Chinese Foreign Minister has raised the subject with my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. I am unaware of any representations to him from business or Chinese NGOs on this question.The Government continue to implement the Arms Embargo as set out by the then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the late Derek Fatchett, in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker) on 3 June 1998.

Alcohol-related Deaths

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many deaths within (a) North Southwark and Bermondsey and (b) the London borough of Southwark alcohol was found to be a primary cause in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 16 December 2004
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Simon Hughes, dated 20 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking for how many deaths within (a) North Southwark and Bermondsey and (b) the London Borough of Southwark, alcohol was found to be a primary cause in each of the last five years. (205547)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2003. The attached table shows the numbers of deaths among residents of North Southwark and Bermondsey parliamentary constituency and the London Borough of Southwark where the underlying cause of death indicated a condition directly related to alcohol use in the years 1999 to 2003.
	
		Alcohol-related deaths(24)for North Southwark and Bermondsey parliamentary constituency and the London borough of Southwark 2 1999 to 2003 3
		
			  Number of deaths 
			  North Southwark and Bermondsey  Southwark 
		
		
			 1999 11 28 
			 2000 18 40 
			 2001 15 38 
			 2002 13 29 
			 2003 16 36 
		
	
	(24) For the years 1999–2000 the cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9). The codes used by ONS to define alcohol-related deaths are listed as follows:
	291—Alcoholic psychoses
	303—Alcohol dependence syndrome
	305.0—Non-dependent abuse of alcohol
	425.5—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	571—Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
	E860—Accidental poisoning by alcohol
	(25) Usual residents of these areas.
	(26) Deaths occurring in each calendar year.
	For the years 2001–03 the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) was used. To maintain comparability with earlier years the following codes were used:
	F10—Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	142.6—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	K70—Alcoholic liver disease
	K73—Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified
	K74—Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver
	X45—Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
	The selection of codes to define alcohol-related deaths is described in:
	Baker A and Rooney C (2003). Recent trends in alcohol-related mortality, and the impact of ICD-10 on the monitoring of these deaths in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 17, pp 5–14.

Coal Mining

George Foulkes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration he has given to fiscal incentives to assist the coal mining industry in (a) flue gas desulphurisation and (b) clean coal technology.

John Healey: The Government's approach to using fiscal instruments for environmental measures is set out in "Tax and the environment: using economic instruments" which was published alongside the Pre-Budget Report 2002 and available at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/D54/07/adtaxenviron02–332kb. pdf. The Government consulted earlier this year on the development of a Carbon Abatement Technology Strategy and supports investment through the Cleaner Coal Technology Programme. The Government has no plans to introduce fiscal incentives for flue gas desulphurisation or clean coal technology, although these are kept under review.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case.

Stephen Timms: Equipment under lease by the Department entered into within the last two years are:
	
		
			  Description  Use  Lease Start Date  Lease End Date Estimated Annual Charge (£) 
		
		
			 Xerox DC470ST Scanning/Photocopying/Printing December 2003 July 2005 5,276 
			 Xerox Docucentre Scanning/Photocopying/Printing February 2003 July 2005 3,732 
			 Franking Machine Postage January 2004 January 2010 1,500 
			 PhotocopiersX4 Scanning/Photocopying/Printing/Colour Finishing June 2004 and Nov 2004 May 2007 and Oct 2007 16,000

Departmental Policies

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency of his Department's policies since 8 June 2001.

Stephen Timms: The Government has put in place a radical programme of both macroeconomic and microeconomic reform since our election in 1997 to improve the economic performance of all parts of the UK. There is significant evidence that these policies have already yielded considerable benefits for the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency. For example, since May 1997, claimant unemployment has fallen by over 50 per cent., and both long-term unemployment and long-term youth unemployment have fallen by 80 per cent. Looking more specifically at improvements since the 8 of June 2001, the beginning of our second term in government, claimant unemployment has fallen by a third, long-term unemployment overall has fallen by 50 per cent. and long-term youth unemployment has fallen by almost 40 per cent. In November 2002 2845 families were benefiting from the Working Families' Tax Credit; by January 2004 4000 working families were benefiting from more than the family element of Child Tax Credit, an increase of 41 per cent.
	The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at Parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.

Exports (Manufactured Goods)

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the (a) value and (b) percentage of exports which comprised manufactured goods in the last year for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 20 December 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about exports of manufactured goods. I am replying in his absence. (206038)
	The latest published information is for October 2004 when UK exports of manufactured goods were estimated at £13.2 billion on a seasonally adjusted Balance of Payments basis. This represented 55% of total exports of goods and services for the same month, which were estimated at £24.1 billion.
	These estimates were published on 9 December. They may be found in Tables A13 and Al of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, which is available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp? vlnk=61

Income Tax (Wandsworth)

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people living in the London borough of Wandsworth pay income tax at (a) the basic rate and (b) the higher rate; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to tables 3.11 'Income and tax by region and country' and 3.14 'Total income by borough and district or unitary authority' on the IR website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/income distribution/menu.htm.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997;
	(2)  whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (David Miliband) on 16 December 2004, Official
	Report, columns 1258–1259W.

Unemployment

Tim Boswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the ratio of young jobless people, including those on New Deal programmes, to the total number of unemployed persons was in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many young people over 16 years were not in education, employment or training in each of the last 10 years, expressed as a proportion of the total adult labour force.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tim Boswell, dated 20 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about employment. (205328, 205329)
	The tables attached show the available information.
	Table 1 shows numbers of unemployed people aged 16 to 24 expressed as percentages of total unemployed aged 16 and over. Table 2 shows numbers of young people aged 16 to 24 who were not in education, employment or training expressed as proportion of working age population. Both tables cover the three month period ending in October for years from 1995 to 2004.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		Table 1: Unemployed people aged 16–24 as percentage of total unemployed aged 16 and over Three months ending October each year
		
			 Seasonally adjusted Percentage 
		
		
			 1995 29.8 
			 1996 31.5 
			 1997 32.4 
			 1998 34.1 
			 1999 33.4 
			 2000 35.9 
			 2001 37.3 
			 2002 36.4 
			 2003 39.0 
			 2004 42.2 
		
	
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 2: Young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training as proportion of working age population(29)  -- Three months ending in October each year
		
			 Seasonally adjusted Percentage 
		
		
			 1995 1.9 
			 1996 1.9 
			 1997 1.6 
			 1998 1.4 
			 1999 1.6 
			 2000 1.6 
			 2001 1.6 
			 2002 1.7 
			 2003 1.8 
			 2004 1.8 
		
	
	(29) Working age population comprises men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Working Tax Credit

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of claimants in Scotland benefiting from the childcare element of the working tax credit; and what percentage this figure represents of the number of people eligible to claim.

Dawn Primarolo: The numbers benefiting up to April 2004 are shown in Table 8.3 of "Child and Working Tax Credits. Quarterly Statistics". These publications appear on the Inland Revenue website, at www. inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu. htm. Figures for December 2004 will be published on 23 December. No estimate is available of the number eligible to benefit.

Working Tax Credit

Theresa May: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been overpaid working tax credit; and how much has been (a) overpaid and (b) repaid.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Northavon (Mr. Webb) and Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 November 2004, Official Report, columns 946–48W.

Blind and Partially Sighted Persons

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many adults are registered blind or partially sighted in each constituency in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available. Figures for the number of adults who are registered blind or partially sighted are not collected centrally. Such information may be collected by individual Health and Social Services Trusts in respect of their own trust, but information is not collected according to Parliamentary constituency.
	Information is, however, collected centrally on the number of registered or eligible to be registered blind and partially sighted adults who were in contact with Social Services staff during the financial year 2003–04, and is shown according to Health and Social Services Trust in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of adults in contact with Social Services, 2003–04 
			 Health and Social Services Trust Blind Partially sighted 
		
		
			 Down Lisburn 275 354 
			 North and West Belfast 180 232 
			 South and East Belfast 323 297 
			 Ulster 184 380 
			 Causeway 39 101 
			 Homefirst 262 357 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 209 334 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 200 151 
			 Newry and Mourne 206 295 
			 Foyle 199 254 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 127 173 
			 Northern Ireland 2,204 2,928 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are provisional, and refer to persons aged 16 years or over.

Blind and Partially Sighted Persons

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children and young persons under the age of 18 years are registered blind or partially sighted in each constituency in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available. Figures for the number of young persons who are registered blind or partially sighted are not collected centrally. Such information may be collected by individual Health and Social Services Trusts in respect of their own trust, but information is not collected according to parliamentary constituency.
	Information is, however, collected centrally on the number of registered or eligible to be registered blind and partially sighted young persons who were in contact with Social Services staff during the financial year 2003–04, and is shown according to Health and Social Services Trust in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of young persons in contact with Social Services, 2003–04 
			 Health and Social Services Trust Blind Partially sighted 
		
		
			 Down Lisburn 5 31 
			 North and West Belfast 9 26 
			 South and East Belfast 13 17 
			 Ulster 1 3 
			 Causeway 2 5 
			 Homefirst 5 21 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 3 11 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 15 7 
			 Newry and Mourne 6 32 
			 Foyle 7 15 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 3 26 
			 Northern Ireland 69 194 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are provisional, and refer to persons aged under 16 years.

Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of refurbishments in his Department was in each year since 1997; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06.

Ian Pearson: Records of expenditure on refurbishment are an integral part of records that cover many other items of building maintenance and repair. It would only be possible to identify those items that relate specifically to refurbishment at disproportionate cost.Next year's budget is set on the same basis.
	This answer relates only to the Northern Ireland Office and does not include information in respect of the eleven departments of the Northern Ireland Administration.

Roads (Expenditure)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total expenditure on roads in Northern Ireland has been in each of the last three years.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Member in response to this question.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Lady Hermon, dated 15 December 2004
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about expenditure on roads in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. I have been asked to reply as these issues fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	Resources and Capital expenditure levels for the three years ended March 2004 are provided in the Table below.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Resource(30) 130,789 149,369 180,252 
			 Capital(31) 66,382 68,934 73,060 
			 Total expenditure on roads 197,171 218,303 253,312 
		
	
	(30) The resource figures include expenditure on operating and maintenance, and administration costs. It excludes: income; depreciation; cost of capital; expenditure on liability claims; notional costs; and exchange gain/(loss).
	(31) The capital figures include expenditure on roads and bridges, car park and ferry capital, and information technology. It excludes profit/(loss) on disposal of assets.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Accidents at Work

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many accidents at work the influence of (a) alcohol, (b) illegal drugs and (c) legal pharmaceuticals were a contributory causal factor in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available.
	The Government believes that drug and alcohol misuse in the workplace is unacceptable and should be taken seriously by employers. The Health and Safety Executive's current guidance on substance misuse recommends that employers should assess the risk from drugs and alcohol at work and take appropriate precautions.

Benefit Fraud

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many suspected cases of benefit fraud were (a) referred to and (b) investigated by his Department in each year since 1997.

Chris Pond: The information is in the tables.
	
		Number of referrals received
		
			  DWP 1 Local authorities(33) Total 
		
		
			 1996–97 1,340,000 n/a n/a 
			 1997–98 1,360,000 460,000 1,820,000 
			 1998–99 1,330,000 490,000 182,000 
			 1999–2000 890,000 430,000 1,320,000 
			 2000–01 870,000 460,000 1,330,000 
			 2001–02 740,000 380,000 1,120,000 
			 2002–03 630,000 290,000 920,000 
			 2003–04 540,000 260,000 800,000 
		
	
	
		Number of cases accepted for investigation
		
			  DWP(32) Local authorities(33) Total 
		
		
			 1996–97 940,000 n/a n/a 
			 1997–98 930,000 400,000 1,330,000 
			 1998–99 920,000 420,000 1,340,000 
			 1999–2000 560,000 350,000 910,000 
			 2000–01 450,000 370,000 820,000 
			 2001–02 400,000 310,000 710,000 
			 2002–03 340,000 200,000 540,000 
			 2003–04 330,000 180,000 510,000 
		
	
	(32) Source: Fraud Information By Sector (FIBS), Resource Management and Fraud Business Report.
	(33) Source: Housing Benefit Management Information System Quarterly Administration Returns April 1996 to March 2004.
	Notes:
	1. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 thousand.
	2. DWP figures include both Counter Fraud Investigation Service (CFIS) and National Investigation Service (NIS) referrals.
	3. Figures for local authorities are not available prior to 1997–98.
	4. Figures for non responding local authorities have been estimated.
	n/a—not available

Child Support Agency

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency cases concerning constituents in Strathkelvin and Bearsden were being investigated on the latest date for which figures are available.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Lyons dated 20 December 2004
	In reply to your recent parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases concerning constituents of Strathkelvin and Bearsden were being investigated on the latest date for which figures are available.
	I am not able to supply this information. I can say that at 30 November 2004 around 870 criminal investigations are under way nationally.

Departmental Establishments

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) temporary jobs his Department and its Executive agencies have had in (i) the Scottish Borders and (ii) Scotland since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Information on the numbers of staff employed in the Department and its agencies in Scotland at specified points in time is in the following table. It is not possible to identify staff in the Scottish Borders separately. Information is not available prior to April 2002
	
		Number of staff in Scotland
		
			  (a) Full-time (b) Part-time (c) Temporary 
		
		
			 As at 30 April 2002
			 Jobcentre Plus 8,733 1,616 381 
			 The Pension Service 535 111 9 
			 Child Support Agency 1,329 178 10 
			 Appeals Service 111 10 0 
			 Rest of the Department 749 107 18 
			 Total 11,457 2,022 418 
			 
			 As at 31 March 2003   
			 Jobcentre Plus 7,779 1,644 150 
			 The Pension Service 1,617 224 88 
			 Child Support Agency 1,436 234 10 
			 Appeals Service 108 6 4 
			 Rest of the Department 717 110 35 
			 Total 11,657 2,218 287 
			 
			 As at 31 March 2004   
			 Jobcentre Plus 7,458 1,730 376 
			 The Pension Service 1,802 266 60 
			 Child Support Agency 1,294 273 24 
			 Appeals Service 101 8 4 
			 Rest of the Department 670 114 40 
			 Total 11,325 2,391 504 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are full-time equivalents and are consistent with Cabinet Office definitions.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department in each of the last two years.

Maria Eagle: Over the past two years the estimated total amount spent on new builds or demolition rebuilds is £21.7 million. These costs have been incurred as part of the Department's modernisation programme and are being managed under the terms of the PRIME PFI contract.
	Because of the way we monitor the cost of acquisitions the spend by year is not readily available for these new builds.
	In addition, the Health & Safety Executive has incurred a cost of £1.3 million for land purchase in connection with a PFI scheme in Bootle. They also entered into a 30-year PFI deal in April 2002 which involves the construction of a new laboratory at a capital cost of £56.5 million.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate of average payout underpinned the £400 million total for the financial assistance scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: None. The Government believe, taking account of available information on numbers involved, that £400 million should provide substantial help for those most seriously affected by failure of their pension schemes. But the size of average payments will depend on a number of factors, including the assistance levels for those facing the most urgent difficulties on which I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement I gave on 2 December 2004, Official Report, columns 64–66WS and the precise numbers and circumstances of eligible individuals.

Incapacity Benefit

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) Midlothian received incapacity benefit in the period (i) 1990 to 1997 and (ii) 1997 to 2004.

Maria Eagle: Constituency level data is not available prior to 1997. The available information is in the table.
	
		Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants in Scotland and the parliamentary constituency of Midlothian
		
			   Period ending   Scotland Midlothian parliamentary constituency 
		
		
			 31 March 1990 240,500 — 
			 30 March 1991 265,600 — 
			 04 April 1992 297,100 — 
			 03 April 1993 321,200 — 
			 02 April 1994 338,600 — 
			 12 April 1995 359,300 — 
			 31 May 1996 349,300 — 
			 31 May 1997 350,100 3,200 
			 31 May 1998 334,000 3,300 
			 31 May 1999 326,500 3,100 
			 31 May 2000 325,000 3,200 
			 31 May 2001 329,400 3,200 
			 31 May 2002 327,700 3,400 
			 31 May 2003 324,400 3,300 
			 31 May 2004 322,700 3,200 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred
	2. Incapacity benefit replaced sickness/invalidity benefit in April 1995.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 1 per cent. samples up to 12 April 1995 and 5 per cent. samples thereafter.

Incapacity Benefit

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have had their incapacity benefit stopped during the last 13 months.

Maria Eagle: The only available data relates to claimants whose incapacity benefits are stopped in relation to a medical examination; this includes claimants who fail to complete the process as well as those who are found fit. The available information is in the table.
	
		The number of incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claims disallowed in relation to medical examination
		
			 Month ending Number 
		
		
			 2003  
			 30 November 17,205 
			 31 December 14,810 
			 2004  
			 31 January 20,630 
			 29 February 16,575 
			 31 March 21,395 
			 30 April 15,225 
			 31 May 17,650 
			 30 June 17,850 
			 31 July 16,565 
			 31 August 16,700 
			 30 September 17,920 
			 31 October 17,865 
			 30 November 19,610 
			 Total for period November 2003 to November 2004 230,005 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2. Medical examinations figures include both the "Own Occupation Test" and the "Personal Capability Assessment".
	3. Claimants who either fail to attend a medical examination or return the medical questionnaire, and therefore lose their entitlement to incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance, may have their claim re-instated at a later date. The number of re-instated cases is not available.
	4. Figures include credits only cases.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. counts.

Jobcentre Plus (Lanarkshire)

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many organisations took part in the consultation exercise on the proposed Jobcentre Plus roll-out programme in Lanarkshire this year; and how many supported the proposal;
	(2)  if he will publish the submissions received in the Lanarkshire Jobcentre Plus roll-out consultation;
	(3)  how many clients and client groups of the proposed Lanarkshire Jobcentre Plus roll-out programme were asked to submit their views on the roll-out proposals.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Roy dated 20 December 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the proposed Jobcentre Plus rollout programme in Lanarkshire. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	It may be helpful if I explain that we will be able to provide you with a summary of the comments received from stakeholders once final decisions on our rollout plans have been announced. Comments we have received in confidence will not be include. I have asked the District Manager for Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, to provide you with this information in due course. We will be unable to put the actual submissions into the public domain because we have not sought prior permission from those responding.
	Turning to the question of consultation, the following list provides details of the clients, and client groups that were asked to submit their views. This is an addition to all local MPs, MSPs and Councillors who were consulted about our plans. Four organisations have made representations and, of these, two have already expressed a willingness to support the flexible delivery proposals in their area.
	Land Securities Trillium
	Strathclyde Police—Motherwell and Hamilton
	Principals of Colleges in Motherwell, Hamilton, Cumbernauld, East Kilbride, Coatbridge
	Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire
	Debt Management
	Counter Fraud Investigation Service in Hamilton, Motherwell
	Pension Service
	Scottish Executive
	Glasgow Chamber of Commerce
	Citizens Advice Bureaux in East Kilbride, Airdrie, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Hamilton, Motherwell, Cambuslang, Rutherglen
	Inland Revenue in Coatbridge, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Motherwell
	Lanarkshire Acute NHS Trust
	Lanarkshire Primary Care NHS Trust
	Careers Scotland
	APEX Scotland
	SLC Social Work
	State Hospital, Carstairs
	HM Prisons, Barlinnie
	Small Business Gateway
	East Dunbartonshire Council
	North Lanarkshire Council
	South Lanarkshire Council
	Federation of Small Businesses
	Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board
	Lanarkshire Chambers Group
	Procurator Fiscal
	I hope this is helpful.

New Deal

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds, West have found work through the New Deal for Disabled People in each year since its commencement;
	(2)  which groups are contracted to provide the New Deal for disabled people in Leeds; what the performance of each in enabling people to find work since the start of the programme has been; what targets they have to meet; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) contractors are achieving considerable success in helping people on incapacity benefit into work and, collectively, they have helped 190 people into work in the Leeds Jobcentre Plus District since the national roll-out of the programme in July 2001.
	The NDDPJob Brokers operating in the Leeds Jobcentre Plus District are: Remploy; Shaw Trust; Action for Employment; Mencap Pathway; and Yes 2 Work. Although they have overall contract requirements that they are expected to meet, these are not broken down by District.
	As information is not available broken down by Leeds and Leeds West, information on people helped into work through the New Deal for Disabled People programme in the Jobcentre Plus Leeds District, including people helped through Jobcentre Plus, is in the table.
	
		New Deal for Disabled People in Leeds Jobcentre Plus District
		
			  
		
		
			 July 2001—September 2001 0 
			 October 2001—September 2002 40 
			 October 2002—September 2003 70 
			 October 2003—September 2004 120 
			 Total 240 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data is from July 2001 from national rollout of the programme.
	2. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and total may not sum due to rounding.
	3. Information in the table is for individuals helped into work.
	4. Individual Job Broker performance figures are not published as these are commercial in confidence.
	Source:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate

New Deal for the Long-term Unemployed

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those leaving the new deal for long-term unemployed aged (a) 25 to 29, (b) 30 to 49 and (c) 50+ years found (i) employment and (ii) sustained jobs in each year since 2001; and what proportion of those leaving the new deal for the long-term unemployed in each year since 2001 did so for (1) sustained jobs and (2) jobs lasting fewer than 13 weeks, broken down by region.

Jane Kennedy: People entering employment through New Deal 25 plus are only classified as leaving the programme to a job when they have entered sustained employment. For the purposes of New Deal 25 plus, a job is regarded as sustained if no new claim is made for Job Seeker's Allowance within 13 weeks of leaving New Deal.
	Information on leavers from the programme to sustained employment is in the tables.
	
		New Deal 25 plus—proportion of leavers by age group to unsubsidised sustained employment since 2001 Percentage
		
			 Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Total 19 24 24 27 
			 of which: aged 25–29 25 32 31 33 
			 aged 30–49 21 27 27 29 
			 aged 50+ 13 14 14 17 
		
	
	
		New Deal 25 plus—proportion of leavers by region and country to unsubsidised sustained employment since 2001 Percentage
		
			 Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Total 19 24 24 27 
			 of which from: 
			 Scotland 18 23 23 29 
			 North East 16 26 23 28 
			 North West 18 25 25 26 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 18 24 23 27 
			 Wales 18 24 26 30 
			 West Midlands 19 24 23 27 
			 East Midlands 19 24 24 30 
			 East of England 22 27 26 26 
			 South East 23 26 26 27 
			 London 18 22 22 22 
			 South West 23 29 31 35 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data is to June 2004.
	2. Figures for each year refer to the period January to December, except 2004,
	which refers to January to June.
	3. Information refers to the percentage of leavers to unsubsidised sustained employment as a proportion of all leavers in the stated categories.
	4. The proportions in the table do not take account of all jobs gained through New Deal 25 plus because people can gain a job through New Deal 25 plus but not leave the programme to a job.
	5. Percentages are calculated from unrounded figures.
	Source:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in respect of how many pensions contracted-out rebates have been paid in each year since 1997; and what the average payment was.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following table:
	
		
			   Million 
			  Average weekly numbers contracted out of SERPS/S2P Average annual payment to people contracted out of SERPS/S2P (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 10.9 680 
			 1998–99 11.1 700 
			 1999–2000 10.9 750 
			 2000–01 11.1 790 
			 2001–02 11.1 810 
			 2002–03 11.1 950 
			 2003–04 10.8 950 
			 2004–05 10.7 990 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The estimates of the numbers contracted out and the average annual payment are for Great Britain only and are consistent with the rebate estimates for the 2004 Pre-Budget Report.
	2. The numbers contracted out are based on those shown in the Departmental publication "Second-Tier Pension Provision" and other information on contracting-out trends that has emerged in recent months.
	3. The large increase in the average annual payment from 2002–03 is due to the increase in the level of the rebate which applied from the beginning of that tax-year.
	Source:
	Government Actuary's Department (GAD)

Sickness Absence

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many days sick leave were taken by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997; and what the sickness absence rate was in each year.

Maria Eagle: All the information requested is not available. Information for the operational years 1997–98 and 1998–99 is not available. The remaining information requested is shown as follows.
	
		Sickness absence information for DWP and the former DSS
		
			 Department Working days lost Average number of working days lost Sickness rate 
		
		
			 DSS
			 1999–2000 1,057,549.2 12.0 4.8 
			 2000–01 1,085,307.5 12.3 4.9 
			 2001–02 1,039,208.8 11.3 4.5 
			 
			 DWP
			 2002–03 1,674,435.3 12.3 4.9 
			 2003–04 1,691,150.3 12.6 5.0 
		
	
	1. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was created in June 2001. Due to the migration of businesses into and out of the newly forming Department, and differences in calculation methods, figures for the Department as a whole are only available from April 2002.
	2. The information in the table covers the years April 1999 to March 2002 relating to the former Department of Social Security (DSS), the main predecessor Department in place prior to the formation of DWP, and for DWP for April 2002 to March 2004.
	3. Figures have been provided for DSS and DWP for each full operational year since 1999. Sickness absence information for the current year, April 2004 to March 2005, will be available in spring 2005.
	4. As at 30 September 2004, the Department had lost 790,668.1 days to sickness absence which equated to a sickness rate of 4.8 per cent. or 12.1 average number of working days lost.

Conferences

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many conferences were (a) attended by officials from her Department, (b) cancelled by and (c) facilitated by her Department in each year since 1997; and what the (i) cost to the Department and (ii) location was in each case.

Richard Caborn: This information is not held centrally. To collect and analyse it will involve disproportionate costs.

Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of refurbishments in her Department was in each year since 1997; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06.

Richard Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Members for North East Cambridgeshire (Mr. Moss) and Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 15 July 2004, Official Report, column 1268, and 8 November 2004, Official Report, column 510 respectively. There are no plans for refurbishment in the 2005–06 financial year.

International Sports Bodies

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list international sports bodies based in the UK, broken down by location.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			 Location Name of body 
		
		
			 London International Cricket Council 
			 — International Tennis Federation 
			 — Commonwealth Games Federation 
			 — Federation Internationale de I'Automobile Foundation 
			 — Women's International Squash Players Association 
			 Cheltenham International Badminton Federation 
			 Hastings World Squash Federation 
			 — European Squash Federation 
			 Manchester International Federation of Netball Associations 
			 Aylesbury International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation 
			 Bristol World Snooker 
			 — World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association 
			 Cardiff World Squash Players' Association 
			 Perth World Curling Federation 
			 Edinburgh World Bowls 
			 Fife Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews

International Sports Bodies

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list international sports bodies which have left the UK since 1997, broken down by year of departure.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			 Year of departure  Name of body  Details 
		
		
			 1997 International Rugby Board Relocated from London to Dublin, Ireland. 
			 2001 International Table Tennis Federation Relocated from St. Leonard's-on-Sea to Lausanne, Switzerland. 
			 2005 International Badminton Federation Have made the decision to relocate from Cheltenham to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in October 2005

Motor Racing

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial assistance the Government has provided to Formula One racing in each year since 1997; and what the planned level of assistance is for each year up to 2006.

Richard Caborn: The Government has provided no financial assistance to the British Grand Prix since 1997. Nor does it plan to do so in the future.

Task Forces

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department spent on task forces and similar bodies in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn: Expenditure on task forces and similar bodies since 1997, for which records are readily available, is as follows (figures have been rounded to the nearest £1,000):
	
		
			  £ 
			  Total 
		
		
			 2000–01 52,000 
			 2001–02 36,000 
			 2002–03 — 
			 2003–04 8,000 
			 2004–05 80,000 
		
	
	This expenditure is not separately identifiable in the Department's accounts.
	The are a number of smaller bodies which would have been included in the answer, except that their costs were borne by the Department's central administration budgets, and could be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost.

Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of findings of research in (a) the US and (b) the UK into the early use of methylprednisolone in acute spinal cord injury; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will authorise further research into the effectiveness of early use of methylprednisolone in acute spinal cord injury;
	(3)  what guidance his Department issues on the early use of methylprednisolone in acute spinal injury trauma;
	(4)  which NHS hospital trusts in England prescribe the use of methylprednisolone in the early treatment of acute spinal cord injury.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 14 December 2004
	We are committed to keeping all interventions and treatment regimes under review and will consider commissioning guidance from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) if a treatment will have a significant impact on patient care, national health service resources, Government health-related policies or the ability to add value by, for example, resolving uncertainty over appropriate use. We have no plans at this time to refer to NICE the use of methylprednisolone in the treatment of spinal cord injury.
	A systematic review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of hospital-based spinal cord injuries, commissioned by NHS health technology assessment programme, was completed in 2003. The review included an assessment of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of steroids for people with such injuries. A full report of the review can be found at www. ncchta.org/project.
	Information on the prescribing of methylprednisolone within secondary care settings is not collected centrally.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: My hon. Friend, the former Minister for the Cabinet Office, Ruth Kelly, has asked Nick Matheson, chief executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to write to the hon. Member with details of the cost of ministerial vehicles provided to this Department in 2003–04.
	Information on ministerial vehicles for the financial year 2002–03 was similarly provided in a letter deposited in the Library, referred to in the response given on 13 November 2003, Official Report, columns 397–98W by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office.
	The cost of taxis for the last two years was:
	
		
			  £000 
			  Cost 
		
		
			 2002–03 337 
			 2003–04 403 
		
	
	The Department ensures that all business travel is made by the most economic means, taking into account any management benefit and the needs of staff with disabilities.

Health Services

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff there have been in the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Trust in each year of its existence, set out in the same manner as in his answer to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley) on 8 September 2004, Official Report, column 1277W.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Hospital, public health medicine and community health services (HCHS): Medicine and dental staff, and non-medical staff in the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals National Health Service Trust as at 30 September each specified year Numbers (headcount)
		
			 As at 30 September: 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Medical and dental Staff 974 967 1,073 1,136 1,173 1,190 
			 Non-medical staff: of which 6,908 8,322 8,385 9,044 9,575 9,634 
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 3,691 4,408 4,222 4,614 4,973 5,054 
			 Qualified nurses 2,827 3,398 3,213 3,539 3,616 3,613 
			 Allied health professionals 329 394 394 417 383 419 
			 Other qualified St and t 535 616 615 658 974 1,022 
			
			 Support to clinical staff 2,111 2,630 2,891 2,722 2,873 3,568 
			 Support to doctors and nurses 1,724 2,135 2,429 2,202 2,358 2,963 
			 Support to St and t 387 495 462 520 515 605 
			
			 NHS infrastructure support 1,105 1,283 1,272 1,690 1,729 1,012 
			
			 Other and unknown 1 1 0 16 0 0 
		
	
	Note:
	The increase in support to clinical staff and the decrease in NHS infrastructure staff 2002–03 is as a result of the reclassification of occupation codes of staff within these areas.
	Sources:
	Department of Health non-medical workforce census.
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Health Services

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on NHS (a) alcohol and (b) drug rehabilitation schemes in the Newcastle City Primary Care Trust area in each year since 1998–99.

Melanie Johnson: Information on numbers for alcohol treatment is not collected centrally. Data for the number of individuals on drug rehabilitation schemes is not available in the format requested. However, the available data is shown in the table.
	In 2003–04, there were 805 people in contact with structured drug treatment in the Newcastle upon Tyne drug action team area. This figure is not directly comparable to previous years as new criteria were introduced in 2003–04, which means that we are not able to make a direct comparison with previous years. National data was produced for 2001–02 and 2002–03, but this data was not verified at a local level.
	
		Number of users reported as presenting for treatment for drug misuse in Newcastle and North Tyneside health authority during six month periods ending 30 September 1998 to 31 March 2001
		
			  Six month period ending Newcastle and North Tyneside health authority 
		
		
			 September 1998 224 
			 March 1999 393 
			 September 1999 387 
			 March 2000 274 
			 September 2000 460 
			 March 2001 366 
		
	
	Note:
	Reporting to the regional drug misuse databases was voluntary; changes in the numbers of users presenting may, at least in part, be due to changes in reporting practice.
	Source:
	The Department of Health series of statistical bulletins 'Statistics from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases'. Bulletins for the six months ending September 1998 onwards are available on the Departments website at: http://www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/work public health.htm_SDD

Jobs Website

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on the jobs.nhs.uk website to date; and how much he expects to spend on the website in (a) 2005–06 and (b) 2006–07.

John Hutton: The business case shows that the planned costs of the national health service careers e-recruitment service are:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Amount 
		
		
			 2003–04 2.3 
			 2004–05 2.4 
			 2005–06 1.4 
			 2006–07 1.4

Departmental Budget/Expenditure

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish a regional breakdown of his Department's budget allocations for 2004–05 for planned (a) revenue and (b) capital expenditure on its (i) housing and homelessness, (ii) neighbourhood renewal and (iii) sustainable communities programmes.

Keith Hill: Information on regional breakdowns of expenditure is gathered annually each spring and published in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA). (Cm 6201, April 2004). The data within PESA excludes payments to local authorities, but includes local authority expenditure on departmental programmes, and is recorded against internationally recognised headings using the UN's Classification of Functions of Government (COFOG).
	Earlier this year, as part of the Spending Review, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister collected some additional information in order to provide a full breakdown of proposed budgets by region within its departmental expenditure limits for 2004–05, under functional headings. The estimated breakdown of the relevant budgets at that time for 2004–05 is tabled as follows.
	
		
			   £ million 
			  Housing and homelessness Neighbourhood renewal Sustainable communities 
			  Resource Capital Resource Capital Resource Capital 
		
		
			 East Midlands 41 146 55 10 47 75 
			 East 38 181 13 4 27 70 
			 London 135 1,209 167 24 164 340 
			 North East 29 130 93 12 96 166 
			 North West 72 383 175 16 150 337 
			 South East 75 392 18 5 59 104 
			 South West 48 167 24 5 57 87 
			 West Midlands 48 204 96 16 99 179 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 47 313 94 11 122 228 
			 Total 533 3,126 733 103 822 1,587 
		
	
	The information in the table and within PESA represents best estimates of the regional breakdowns at the time the data was collected, which was before the start of this financial year. A further analysis for 2004–05, based on budgets following winter supplementary estimates, will be produced by April 2005, and will be published in PESA.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes have been promulgated in each of the past five years to the guidelines or other criteria for the retention or destruction of departmental files.

Phil Hope: Since May 2002, when the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was formed, 44 schedules have been put in place for the disposal of records which are specific to its administrative activities. It also disposes of its records in accordance with over 20 guidance notes produced by The National Archives (TNA) over the last five years, covering disposal schedules, managing records in the electronic environment, as well as overarching records management guidance. Further details of this guidance can be found on TNA's website at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov. uk/recordsmanagement/advice

Homelessness

Tom Cox: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much financial assistance has been spent on assisting rough sleepers in the Greater London area in each of the last three years.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides grants to local authorities and voluntary and community sector organisations to support their work in sustaining the rough sleeping target, eliminate the long-term use of bed and breakfast hotels for homeless families with children and to tackle homelessness more effectively.
	The level of these grants provided to local authorities and voluntary and community sector agencies working in London is tabled as follows:
	
		
			  (£ million) 
			 Period Funding (capital and revenue) 
		
		
			 2002–03 (45)46.8 
			 2003–04 (45)40.8 
			 2004–05 (46)43.1 
		
	
	(45) Actual
	(46) Budget
	There are close links between tackling these manifestations of homelessness, it is not therefore possible to provide details of grants used exclusively on assisting rough sleepers.

Sick Leave

George Osborne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many days sick leave were taken by civil servants in his Office in each year since 1997; and what the sickness absence rate was in each year.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the figures contained in the annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" published by the Cabinet Office.
	Table A of this report gives details of both the average working days absence per staff year and the number of staff years on which that calculation is based. The most recent statistics (for calendar year 2003) were announced by written ministerial statement on 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 1WS and copies placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Although the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister did not come into existence until 2002 the reports for the years 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 for all major Civil Service departments are available on the Cabinet Office website at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management information/conditions of service/caje/publications/index.asp_sickness
	I should also like to take this opportunity to reinforce our commitment to managing sickness absence effectively and to putting in place the recommendations of the recently published "Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector".

Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each month of 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The number of press releases, including regional and local press releases, issued by month are as follows:
	
		Press release breakdown 2004 1 
		
			  Home Office Prison Service Her Majesty's Inspectorate of: Prisons/Probation/Constabulary 
		
		
			 January 46 1 6 
			 February 47 0 4 
			 March 52 0 11 
			 April 23 3 9 
			 May 30 2 5 
			 June 18 (49)21 9 
			 July 51 2 13 
			 August 9 9 8 
			 September 27 0 8 
			 October 31 0 8 
			 November 31 2 1 
		
	
	(48) To 25 November.
	(49) Separate regional press notices were sent out to announce nominations for prison officer of the year.